In various embodiments, methods, systems, and non-transitory computer-readable media are disclosed that allow developers to place date pickers on columns, rows, and cells using a desktop integration framework. The date picker can be tied to components, forms, or model metadata. In one aspect, date picker metadata is provided separately from the document to which one or more date pickers will eventually be added.
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1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing code that when executed by one or more processors associated with one or more computer systems configures the one or more processors for creating documents of desktop applications that act as user interfaces for web-based applications, the non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising: code for creating contents of a document in a native application format associated with an application that includes or is in communication with a view layer and a controller layer developed via an application development framework; code for associating a user interface element with a portion of the contents of the document using the view layer and the controller layer, wherein the user interface element and the portion of the contents are components of the application development framework and the portion of the contents of the document is linked with data associated with data models of a web-based application in communication with a model layer developed via the application development framework; code for mapping the user interface element to one or more of the data models of the web-based application using the view layer and the controller layer, wherein the model layer exposes the data models to the view layer and controller layer such that the user interface element provides a date picker at runtime based on date attributes of the one or more data models of the web-based application to a user interface within the application; code for generating metadata associated with the document based on the associating of the user interface element with the portion of the contents of the document and the mapping of the user interface element to the one or more data models of the web-based application; code for retrieving the document from the web-based application, the document comprising metadata that allows the view layer and the controller layer to initialize the document in the application and request the date attributes of the one or more data models from the model layer; and code for rendering the date picker in the user interface within the document at runtime based on the document, the metadata associated with the document, and the date attributes of the one or more data models.
A software system allows developers to embed date pickers into desktop applications (like Excel) that are linked to web-based application data. The system creates a document in the desktop application's native format. It associates a UI element (like a cell in Excel) with data models from the web application. The UI element then displays a date picker based on date attributes in the web application's data. Metadata is generated to describe this link between the document and the web app's data models. When the document is opened, the date picker is rendered using the metadata and date information from the web app. The desktop application acts as a user interface for the web application.
2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein the code for mapping the user interface element to the one or more data models provided by the web-based application comprises code for configuring the user interface element to provide a date picker view of the data using user interface elements outside of the first application.
Building upon the system described previously, the date picker UI that is displayed in the desktop application can use UI elements external to the desktop application itself to provide the date picker. So, the date selection interface might appear in a separate window or browser, but is still used to populate date information back into the original desktop application document.
3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein the code for mapping the user interface element to the one or more data models provided by the web-based application comprises code for configuring the user interface element with specific functionality allowing the user to interact with date information based on one or more aspects of the data determined at runtime.
Expanding on the core date picker integration, the date picker UI element is configured with specific functionalities, dynamically adjusted based on runtime data conditions. For example, available date ranges or specific selectable dates might be altered dynamically based on rules defined within the associated web application data. The system provides a way for the date picker to respond intelligently to the context of the data it's linked to.
4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein the code for mapping the user interface element to the one or more data models provided by the web-based application comprises code for configuring the user interface element to inject date information into the first application based on an interaction with the date picker.
Using the base date picker integration, user interactions with the date picker (selecting a date) injects that selected date information directly into the desktop application. When a user chooses a date, this information is passed back into the linked cell or text box, updating the desktop document with the date picker selection.
5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein the code for mapping the user interface element to the one or more data models provided by the web-based application comprises code for configuring the user interface element to provide a search interface enabling a user to search for date information.
Continuing the core date picker integration, the UI element includes a search interface for finding specific dates. The date picker provides a search functionality that lets users query for date information either within the web application data or using a local search mechanism, making it easier to find and select the desired date.
6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein the code for associating the user interface element with the portion of the contents of the document comprises code for associating a text box, label, button, list, table, radio button, checkbox, input widget, or output widget.
The UI element that displays the date picker can be any standard UI control, like a text box, label, button, list, table, radio button, checkbox, or other input/output widgets. This means that the date picker functionality can be integrated into different types of UI components within the desktop application document.
7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein the code for creating the contents of the document in the native application format associated with the application comprises code for creating a spreadsheet using a spreadsheet desktop application.
The desktop application is a spreadsheet program like Excel. The system creates a spreadsheet document and embeds the date picker into cells or other spreadsheet elements, linking these elements to date attributes within the web application's data models.
8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein the code for creating the contents of the document in the native application format associated with the application comprises code for creating a word processing document using a desktop publishing application.
The desktop application is a word processing program. The system creates a word processing document and embeds the date picker into text fields or other document elements, linking these elements to date attributes within the web application's data models.
9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 further comprising: code for publishing the document and the metadata associated with the document to the web-based application such that the document becomes usable as the user interface to the web-based application.
After creating the document with the integrated date picker, the document and its metadata are published to the web-based application. The web application then uses the document as a user interface. This makes the desktop document the interactive front-end for the web application.
10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein the code for rendering the document comprises code for generating functionality that displays the user interface in response to a user interaction that allows a user to select one or more values determined at runtime and that inputs a selection into the contents of the document.
When a user interacts with the desktop document, the date picker interface is displayed, enabling date selection. Once the user selects a date value, that value is inserted into the document contents. User interaction triggers the date picker display, and the selected date is then automatically entered into the relevant part of the desktop document.
11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 further comprising: code for receiving a modification to the document in the portion of data contributed by the user interface element; and code for updating the web-based application using the application development framework to reflect the modification.
If a user modifies the date within the desktop document (using the date picker or directly typing), the web-based application is updated to reflect this change. The changes made in the desktop application are synchronized back to the web application's data using the application development framework.
12. A method comprising: creating, by a computer system, contents of a document in a native application format associated with application that includes or is in communication with a view layer and a controller layer developed via an application development framework; associating, by a computer system, a user interface element with a portion of the contents of the document using the view layer and the controller layer, wherein the user interface element and the portion of the contents are components of the application development framework and the portion of the contents of the document is linked with data associated with data models of a web-based application in communication with a model layer developed via the application development framework; mapping, by a computer system, the user interface element to one or more of the data models of the web-based application using the view layer and the controller layer, wherein the model layer exposes the data models to the view layer and controller layer such that the user interface element provides a date picker at runtime based on date attributes of the one or more data models of the web-based application to a user interface within the application; generating, by a computer system, metadata associated with the document based on the associating of the user interface element with the portion of the contents of the document and the mapping of the user interface element to the one or more data models of the web-based application; retrieving, by a computer system, the document from the web-based application, the document comprising metadata that allows the view layer and the controller layer to initialize the document in the first application and the date attributes of the one or more data models from the model layer; and rendering, by a computer system, the date picker in the user interface within the document at runtime based on the document, the metadata associated with the document, and the date attributes of the one or more data models.
A method involves creating a document in a desktop application, associating a UI element within the document with data models in a web application, and mapping the UI element to display a date picker based on date attributes in the web application data. Metadata is generated to link the document and web application data. The document is retrieved from the web application, and the date picker is rendered within the document's UI based on the document's metadata and the web application's date attributes.
13. A system comprising: a processor; and a memory storing a set of instructions which when executed by the processor configure the processor to: create contents of a document in a native application format associated with an application that includes or is in communication with a view layer and a controller layer developed via an application development framework; associate a user interface element with a portion of the contents of the document using the view layer and the controller layer, wherein the user interface element and the portion of the contents are components of the application development framework and the portion of the contents of the document is linked with data associated with data models of a web-based application in communication with a model layer developed via the application development framework; map the user interface element to one or more of the data models of the web-based application using the view layer and the controller layer, wherein the model layer exposes the data models to the view layer and controller layer such that the user interface element provides a date picker at runtime based on date attributes of the one or more data models of the web-based application to a user interface within the application; generate metadata associated with the document based on the associating of the user interface element with the portion of the contents of the document and the mapping of the user interface element to the one or more data models of the web-based application; retrieve the document from the web-based application, the document comprising metadata that allows the view layer and the controller layer to initialize the document in the application and the date attributes of the one or more data models from the model layer, wherein the view layer and controller layer reside within the application on a client computing device and the model layer resides on a remote server configured to host the web-based application; and render the date picker in the user interface within the document at runtime based on the document, the metadata associated with the document, and the date attributes of the one or more data models.
A system contains a processor and memory configured to: create a desktop application document; associate a UI element with web application data models; map the UI element to show a date picker based on web application data; generate metadata to link the document and web application; retrieve the document from the web application. The view/controller layers reside within the desktop application, while the model layer resides on a remote server hosting the web application. The system renders the date picker in the document UI based on the document's metadata and the web application's date attributes.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
July 16, 2014
April 18, 2017
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